Omens, Signs, Messages and Symbols

Over the last couple of days I have been pondering my path, and my place in it, as you do at the beginning of any year, be it the winter or summer, as it is here in New Zealand. Despite most cultures having celebrated or marked in some what their new year in or around the middle of winter, when the settlers came to New Zealand they did not transpose their holidays religious or secular to the relevant season, so this means we often celebrate a traditional winter celebration during summer, so obviously the energy is different, but also the same, or has my Hungarian work colleague says same same but different. But I digress.

At this time of the year, is hard not to feel the anticipation that reverberates throughout the most of the world as the New Year approaches, both Europe and Chinese and begins. And for us here in New Zealand it is summer, so the seasonal energy is bright and energetic. Very fortuitous for a new set of lessons that deepen how I understand myself and how I understand my path to show themselves.

These lessons are usually heralded by a series of symbols that have made themselves obvious to me. However these symbols or messages often come in the form of the seemly ordinary, rather than an obviously occult or magical flavour. Which brings me to the topic of this post.

How does someone tell that these everyday happenings or ordinary symbols, omens or signs of note rather than just everyday things?

For me it was a gradual process, of learning to understand and luckily being given the symbol several times with each time being a bit more obvious than others. The first time that I consciously remember this happening, was about 10 or so years ago. I was obviously on my way home from where the bus had dropped me of, and walking over a grassy area, when a black bird jumped into my path and spoke. I heard it twitter then it look me directly in the eye, like it was telling me off for disturbing his worm hunting, and he very well may have been. But I was not really paying attention, it was that time of year when there are a lot of black birds about the place all furiously hunting for insects to feed their demanding young. I remember apologising and then making my way home.

The following morning as I was leaving my house, a blackbird landed near my head on the washing line and once again he spoke. This time I took more notice. How strange I thought this is the second time this strange occurrence has happened. I duly greet him with a friendly good morning, and didn’t give it much thought as I made my way to work, until I got to work. I worked on the 5th floor of a building in town, and there waiting for me, on the railing outside the window next to my desk. Black bird was looking at me, he was speaking. It was then that I realised I had to use my other senses in order to here was black bird was saying. The Blackbird was the herald for the next lot of intense learning both magical and mundane, and part of what I learned was that there is for some of us no read delineation between the mundane and magical, after all you are the universe and the universe is you, which is one of my base understanding s of how it all works.

This year the message and messenger has been a different one, as is the way of these things. For a start there have been several messages, and messengers, like a tricky puzzle that I am expected to put together.

This year the symbol was found with in some street art, only it was a word and a word that I wrote myself.

A wall had been painted with chalk paint stating “ For 2014 I Wish” and chalk left so that passerbys could draw, write their wishes for 2014. I could feel the potential, the energy that was building up as people broke through their conditioning of ignoring the weird and unusual, to stepped forward write their wishes for 2014. A very powerful piece of urban magic indeed, the energy surrounding the wall was palpable. Without much thought, or room for doubts I allowed the energy to guide me and I picked up a piece of chalk and wrote Love, which is to say, For 2014 I Wish Love. I am a little perplexed by this word, did it mean a romantic love, because truth be told I am not looking for such things, not am I saying I am not looking in the hopes of finding anyway.. I really am a spinster and loving it.. I wonder what this wish for love all about? It will be something for me to ponder as the year progresses.

So how do you tell the difference? Sure that was some wall art that one of the local cafe/shops there had painted, probably to draw in customers, but also to let people be their own artist. What is it about it that makes it a symbol, or a sign? For me it ‘feels’ different, there is a magic in the air that you can run your fingers through, it can be powerful enough to make you hair stand on end, or subtle like candy floss floating on the wind, but it is there, and there is a sameness to how it feels every time, even though each time it is a different symbol, omen, message and lesson.

It was pointed out by a fellow Witch I was having lunch with on Saturday that often these types of messages can start out subtle, so much so that you often miss the first one, re the Blackbird as I stepped of a bus, but then over a shortish period of time they can become more obvious, especially when you are willfully ignoring them which we have a tendency to do when it the message is about the sorting out of the self. This can cause a large slap if you are not careful, so it is important to pay attention, even when you don’t want to. But they if you wanted to obliviously carry on in the world, you would not of become a Witch right?

It is and can be difficult to tell the difference, between what is a an important message and what is a just a black bird going about his everyday business of feeding his chick. And because of this it can sometimes lead to becoming a little bit obsessed and a person can often end up thinking that everything is an good or bad omen, but will at little patents, and some practical thinking, you will get the hang of it. Omens and messages do not show up everyday all the time, as it would be a little overwhelming don’t you think, and if you have stepped onto the path of service, what good is a priestess or priest going to be if they are constantly obsessed with finding the omen in everything. like the saying says sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

This being said you can often receive a series of messages, a bit like puzzle pieces. This year I received several symbols and messages over a short period of time, and to help understand what they were about I used drew an oracle card from the druid plant oracle and it was primrose. This card, along with the other messages and symbols was about becoming more active in creating the environment that I want to be in, so it is with that end in mind, that I will be holding discussion afternoons at my house once a month. And the very first topic up for discussion, you guessed it, Omens, signs messages, and symbols.

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One thought on “Omens, Signs, Messages and Symbols”

Gee Polly! Kie woke me up when he came to bed so I thought eh, I will read Polly’s article on my phone to get back to sleep, when BAM! You had to end it with Primrose!!! The card I pulled at camp and hadn’t given much thought to since. *Sigh* Yip. No sleep for me now as I ponder what that sign is going to mean for me! :p 🙂